James Holmes Proves Need for Tighter Gun Ownership Regulations

From the article:

"But we do know many things about him. We know that he is a disturbed young man whose behavior was so odd that one gun range owner in rural Colorado rejected his application for membership."

So chalk one up for the firearms industry. The rangemaster took his own initiative. No need there for federal intervention.

More from the article:

"We know that he passed two background checks that took only the most cursory look at his mental health background. Because Holmes hadn't been involuntarily committed or formally adjudicated by a court as a "mental defective," he was free to buy all the guns he wanted."

So instead of bleating about "tighter gun control regulations", why not investigate why an obvious kook (just like Jared Loughner) was NOT "involuntarily committed or formally adjudicated by a court as a 'mental defective'"?

Lastly, from the article:

"But how many Americans struggling with serious mental health issues fall into one of those two narrow categories?"

Hello? Is Mr. Horwitz even listening to himself here?

In just about any city downtown area, legions of kooks wander about all night long. It's unsafe for an average citizen (who isn't crazy enough to do so) to visit downtown night events in our cities.

So why are these kooks out there? How many can legally buy firearms because they "hadn't been involuntarily committed or formally adjudicated by a court as a 'mental defective'"?

My suggestion to Mr. Horwitz is to work toward reform of the psychiatric industry instead of continuing his blind hatred toward the NRA and sane firearms owners. We already outlaw kooks to buy firearms. What we need is to identify and certify the kooks so the FBI can deny them purchase upon instant check.

Mark of AK 2:24PM August 23, 2012

Joshua, you're right in that James Madison's intent was to enhance citizens' domestic security. However you make the point that these "modern sporting rifles" are only good for violent insurrection against the government. Firearms in the hands of American citizens deter threats from abroad AND threats from within, including the government. It makes me think of the famous Thomas Jefferson quote, "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." If guns were more limited or even banned. I am willing to bet James Holmes would have found a devious way to end life.

Jerome of FL 12:52AM July 31, 2012

Guns don't kill people, psychiatry does.

William2 of CA 4:38PM July 30, 2012

Julie T, more of us are afraid of the gangs that will NEVER respect ANY law, therefore we have not only a RIGHT but a DUTY to protect ourselves and others. More laws that nobody obeys unless they feel like it are not what we need. Ever notice that Pot is illegal, yet currently more people use it openly than ever before?? Best way to guarantee that something will become popular is to Ban it...remember Prohibition??

And in all seriousness, the reason the Second Amendment was put into place was so that Armed Insurrection would be available if Government got too greedy...which currently, at the cost of 4 BILLION Dollars per Day and ever-higher taxes, is starting to look like its time for exactly that!!

We fought Britain over (basically) a 3 pence (cent) tax on Tea...our founding fathers never meant for our government to become the giant Bureacracy it has become...we ceased living in a Democratic Republic in 1993.

Paul Kersey of FL 11:28AM July 30, 2012